


Glass Houses

by HotDogandFries (DerpyMcButtface)



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, actual happy times?, ana does god's work, past reaper76
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2018-11-13 13:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11185869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DerpyMcButtface/pseuds/HotDogandFries
Summary: After closing a delicate contract, Gabriel Reyes was glad he didn't have to see heads or tails of the Shimada Clan for a long time. Until one night, a runaway prince shows up on base, four months pregnant and asking after a "Jesse McCree."A cowboy is suddenly thrust into fatherhood, but there's no one he'd rather be on this madcap ride with than Hanzo.





	1. 5

**Author's Note:**

> Story unrelated to Cloudy Skies  
> Will be mostly fluff and good feels  
> Please note the "mostly"

 

Gabriel Reyes poured the fifth mug of coffee down his throat, and stared at the red pinpoints on the map in front of him.

Out there, somewhere in the Blackwatch compound, an unknown intruder lurked.

They were good, whoever they were. Gabe had to give them that. Security had been following the stranger in vain for hours now- yet there the dot was, hiding somewhere in plain sight, moving too quickly to be picked up- likely an omnic, it was too fast to be human. Still, speed, skill, or technology couldn’t compensate for the fact that their guest was on the Blackwatch home base. _Our turf._ Gabe took one look at the gray lines crossing the compound- he had helped design this place after all, he knew it better than he knew the back of Jack’s head. “Send Group Petra to 12R,” he ordered. “Our friend’ll be within 5 squares. Be ready to engage.”

* * *

 

“Young man, Asian descent, approximately 5’6”, dressed in black,” the head of Group Petra barked into the comm unit. “He’s been disarmed, primary threat screening is clear.”

Now that got Gabe’s attention, more than the fact their intruder was human. No one was ever “clear.” They always had something- at least a comm unit, a cellphone, a notepad- hell, even a toothpick. And Sal was nothing if not thorough- Gabe trusted his skill almost as much as he trusted his own. “Clear?” he scoffed. “Check again.”

“No, sir, I did, I know. But he’s clear. Completely clear. Not even an BitFit. Internal scans are showing up negative too.”

Now that was even more suspicious than if the intruder had come in with pipe bombs strapped to his body. “Who are they, what do they want?”

Gabe leaned back, listening to the muffled interrogation, before Sal’s voice crackled back online.

“Not giving a name, sir. And all he wants is… Let me ask him again to make sure, but he’s asking for- Is there someone here named Jesse McCree?”

Gabe spat out his coffee.

* * *

 

Still in his pajama bottoms, the young man blearily stumbled down the hall behind Gabe’s heavy steps. “Sir?” he mumbled, trying to register even the fact that he had just been pulled out of bed at two in the morning and called up to the security station for no apparent reason. “Whuzzat happening?”

“I don’t know, but whatever you did you’d better tell me now before you dig yourself even deeper in that pile of shit you’re in,” Gabe snapped.

That got his attention. Jesse’s face twisted in indignation. “What? I didn’t do nothing!” he whined. “I swear- er- if it’s about the luncheon thing, I didn’t-“

“I don’t know what the ‘luncheon thing’ is, and I don’t want to know if it means more paperwork.” The older man strode down the hall quickly, lengthening his steps so that the boy behind him had to work to keep up. “Long story short, though, we got an intruder on our hands. Someone broke onto base just to ask for you.” Gabe gave a few short knocks on the heavy door, and it slid open.

He surveyed the scene in front of him- the five members of Group Petra blocking off the front doorway, the security team with their sights trained on the intruder in black in the middle of the room. The young man stood ramrod straight despite the fatigue under his dark eyes and hollowed cheeks. He watched them enter, his expression cold on his fine, regal features.

Gabe felt a chill down his spine. He knew that face, and it meant no good. “Shimada-“ he began, but beside him, Jesse gave a choked-off gasp and rushed forward, leaving Gabe to try grab a bandana that wasn’t there.

“Hanzo,” he wailed, flinging himself on the restrained figure, wrapping the intruder up in his arms and burying his head in the nape of his neck. “Oh my God, it ain’t-“

The Shimada boy sagged in relief, grabbing onto Jesse. His hands fisted around the dingy pajama fabric like he was gripping a lifebuoy.

Gabe opened his mouth to bark a warning to Jesse- the intruder was still an intruder, a potentially dangerous one at that, knowing his background. Beside him, Sal discreetly reached for his stunner. But Hanzo only clung to the agent harder, burying his face in Jesse’s shoulder.

“Babe- what are you doing here?” Jesse asked huskily, holding Hanzo just as tightly. “I thought you…”He hesitated, a puzzled look appearing over his face as he stepped back and looked down in shock. “What’s th- Hanzo, are you pregnant?!”

* * *

 

It had taken some trouble and protest to lock Hanzo up in a hospital room with the on-call physician. But once the dust had cleared, his little troublemaker was nowhere to be seen.

Gabe found him on the edge of the medical wing, hallways away from where the crime lord was getting a fetal heart monitor strapped on, whether he liked it or not. Policy, it was policy- and so were some extremely delicate armament negotiations. “McCree.”

“What?” Jesse looked up unsteadily, swallowing, breathing hard, chewing away at his cigarette. His lips were twitching, Gabe noticed, and his eyes had that wild, cornered-animal look he’d seen only one before, four years ago.

“We have a situation on our hands.”

“Fuck…”

Gabe slammed his hands down on the younger man’s shoulders. “McCree. This is serious. Why is Shimada here? You need to tell me everything you know. Now. Is this about Geonjak? We _cannot_ renegotiate on that.”

“Fuck- No. Look. Boss. Look, this is a lot for me,” Jesse snapped, wringing a pen in his hands until it snapped. Blue ink splattered across his worn gray t-shirt. “I- This is bullshit. He’s here. He’s here and- Fuck. A baby. He’s having a baby and it’s mine. This is a lot.”

“What’s a lot for you? What do you know, McCree?” Gabe barked, trying to push the boy back into more pressing matters. “And who else knows? Who sent him? Who knows he’s here? What are they-“ Gabe’s questioning was cut off as a sudden burn flared in his cheek.

Jesse stood there, panting, face wild and hand red from where it had smacked his commanding officer across the face.

Gabe looked at the young man, his lips in a tight line.

And for the second time in his life, Jesse McCree turned tail and fled.

* * *

 

“We’ve stabilized him. Mostly dehydration, nothing I’m worried about right now. Also, confirmed- he’s pregnant, about four months along,” Dr. Tippin said, typing away at the data pad in front of her. “What happened to your face?”

“So…” Gabe said slowly. “The Shimada kid.”

“Uh-huh…”

He crossed his arms. “What does he want? Who sent him here? I need to know.”

“Uh-huh-“

Gabe stared down at Dr. Tippin. “I asked you-“

“He barely said a word to me. If you want to talk to him, now’s a good time. But I’m running on fumes, sir, and I have to finish this note.” Dr. Tippin pointed at the door to the private ward. “He’s right over there.”

“Thanks. You’re a star,” he said apologetically, making his way to where she gestured.

Gabe had met with Hanzo before- just several months ago in fact, when he was trying to negotiate armaments for a potential Watchpoint in Korea. The young, stern-faced man was sharp businessman and a ruthless politician- and an absolute pain in the ass whenever Blackwatch tried to step so much as a toe in their Korean associates’ turf. There were nights Gabe still had nightmares about the one-twenty pages of Times New Roman size 6 single-spaced contracts Hanzo brought to the board room. But now, without the sharp suit and armed guards, Hanzo looked a great deal younger- boyish, unsteady. He was dressed in only a rumpled gray hospital gown. His hair was fluffed into a mess, and he looked scared. Small. _He’s just a kid,_ Gabe thought, with some surprise. The silent, glaring figure across the conference table- he was just some kid. 

And right now, that ‘just some kid’ was sitting ramrod straight, his IVs yanked out and bedrails down. Despite his bedraggled appearance he was trying so hard to look tough that it was almost funny.

All right, it was hilarious. Gabe didn’t laugh out loud, though. “So. Hanzo Shimada.”

“Gabriel Reyes,” the young man said coldly.

“You broke onto our base.”

“I don’t need your permission to contact an associate,” Hanzo replied haughtily.

“Actually, when your associate’s one of my underlings, you do. And I’m finding it hard to believe that you took the trouble of sneaking in here just to say hi.”

“Confidential. Let me speak with McCree,” Hanzo commanded.

“Does the Shimada Clan know you’re here? Would your father be surprised if I rang him up asking why the hell his son is-“

“Let me speak with McCree,” Hanzo repeated, louder. “Our last agreement provided for an open line of communication on both ends. Keeping him from me is a breach of contract.”

Gabe shrugged. “Actually, I’m not keeping you from him. I’ve been trying to get a hold of him too, but he just ran off and he’s not responding,” he said truthfully.

Hanzo blinked, his lips parting slightly as he struggled to understand Gabe’s statement. “What?” he asked in a very small voice.

“You heard me. He just upped and left, Mr. Shimada,” Gabe repeated, keeping his voice casual, as he watched the Shimada heir’s face turn to shock. “Look. I don’t know what you’re playing at. And I don’t want to make enemies with you. But whatever you want, you negotiate with _me,_ not with McCree. I don’t know what he told you, but he has no authority, understood?”

“Are you saying,” Hanzo croaked, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he struggled to keep his voice steady. “Please clarify. You mean McCree- left? He is not…?”

“He’s not here, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Hanzo just stared at him in confusion.

Gabe sighed. “You came out of nowhere, Shimada. This is a military base. You should know you can’t just come waltzing in anytime you want. I have a phone number.”

“I don’t understand. Jesse, Jesse has run away?” Hanzo repeated again, in disbelief and fear.

“Whatever you want with Overwatch, get back on an official channel-“ Gabe began but he stopped, as in front of him, Hanzo Shimada crumpled down, face breaking in pain. “Shit…” He had thought it was terror, but it hadn’t been fear on the kid’s face. It was grief. His second realization came on right after, that this had _nothing_ to do with Geonjak.

Hanzo stared dumbly as Gabe’s words finally sunk in. He hiccuped, and hiccuped again- the distinctive noises that only came from someone trying not to cry.

“Look, just… It’s four in the morning. Go get some sleep,” Gabe said gruffly, barreling to escape the room before Hanzo started bawling for real.

_Just a kid. He’s really just a kid._

 


	2. Chapter 2

The face on the holoscreen was older than he remembered from their last meeting three months ago. But then again, the harsh lighting available at the Geneva communications room made everyone seem unusually haggard. If that were the case, Gabe hid a secret impish glee that even the Golden Boy’s photogenic charms couldn’t hold up against the sheer wattage of the ceiling there.

 “Morrison,” he said, leaning back in the black control chair and raising his arms behind his head, pomegranate-flavored vape in hand. “Read your briefing. Sounds good to me. I can lend you the pilots incognito.”

 Jack didn’t look as satisfied as he should have been, taking free advantage of Blackwatch’s skill pool like he was entitled to it. “Thanks.”

“I’ll pick a few and send them over on privilege. What else?”

It was hard to tell from the screen, but the Strike Commander looked pinched- sullen, in a way, as if he could smell the artificial fruit scent he hated so much. Call it petty, but Reyes made sure to use the flavor Morrison hated the most- even if it was just a conference call. But like Morrison’s mother always said, it was the thought that counted.

“Well, no,” Jack answered finally. “Not really.”

“Then call it a day and hang up, I got work to do.” _And it’s past midnight where you are,_ his mind supplied, but the words remained unsaid.  

“Anything else to update me on?” Jack asked tentatively.

Gabe’s mind went directly to the criminal kingpin sitting on the lower level of the base. “Nope.”

Jack continued looking straight at Gabe, his eyes searching. “It’s all good over there?”

“Yep.” He raised the e-cig to his lips and blew out an opaque cloud of smoke. He used to find it difficult, lying to Jack’s face. Maybe it was the blue eyes. Or maybe it was the jaw. Maybe it was that Corndog was the living embodiment of the Boy Scout Code of Honor. It didn’t matter, though- over the years, he’d gotten good at it, keeping secrets from Jackie. He’d had a lot of practice, after all.

Their stubborn silence continued. Jack caved first. “And… How are you, Gabe? Things going… All right?”

“Yep.” Gabe stared back at the screen defiantly, another plume of smoke trickling out between his lips like an extra tongue. “You good now?”

“Yeah. I’m good. Over and out. See you, Reyes,” Jack replied. “I’m fine.”

As the screen faded back to black, Gabe thought that it was quite funny that, despite it all, he could still tell when Jack was lying.

* * *

 

It was another two days before he stood in front of hospital bed again, arms crossed as he stared Hanzo down. He entered his credentials in the log, below the only other visitor, the automated nurse AI. The room in question wasn’t a secured one- but that could change, based on today. Gabe considered knocking on the door, but that might make Shimada think that he had rights around here.

"Shimada. Hope you got your rest, you’re gonna need it,” Gabe said, as he shoved the door open. “Got a few things to discuss with you."

Hanzo watched him warily, waiting for him to continue. Despite the medical attention and the bedrest, he was looking even worse than he had days ago- his eyes dull and red beneath bruised-looking eyelids, and his face pinched and sour.

Gabe sat down in one of the vinyl armchairs, and waited as well. "We need information about your situation. You've got enemies, Mr. Shimada."

"I'm aware."

"Who knows you're here?"

"No one."

"This isn't just for me, it's for your sake too. Any of your associates know about your little vacation? Sure Hu-Jeon would love to know about an opportunity to stick something in your back. You don't tell me, you're signing your own warrant," Gabe warned.

“I told you. No one.”

“Who in your family knows? This a secret, or-“

“No one knows! I’ve run away,” Hanzo replied harshly, jerking his face away to hide his expression. “I left the clan. They do not know where I am. I _left,_ ” he repeated, his voice taking on an edge of disbelief.

A cold feeling settled in Gabe’s gut. He couldn’t even try to guess what this meant for the deals they had agreed on, especially the ones Hanzo had facilitated. “Why?”

But Hanzo only scowled, his puffy eyes hidden behind his hair. “Stupid.”

Still, there was another pressing issue. “Shimada, you’re an international criminal. We can’t keep you,” he said cautiously. “It’s nothing personal. But you’re a liability. A dangerous one, if our top brass- or anyone- finds out.”

Hanzo didn’t bother looking up. “Where will I go?” he asked quietly.

Someone had to do the things that needed to be done. Someone needed to take out a target in a densely-populated civilian zone. Someone had to step on hands and pry off nails for information. Someone had to take out the dam supplying power to a rogue army base, as well as the only remaining hospital in the country. And someone had to tell the pregnant young mother-to-be who that they were on their own. Gabe sighed. He didn’t like being the hard one. “Two choices. I can turn you over Overwatch proper. They’ll arrest you, turn you over to the UN, and put you on trial. Or I can… Look, this is Blackwatch. We can just let you go. Seal up all record of this happening. …We can let you off anywhere in the world.”

Hanzo didn’t respond. The question hung in the air: _then what?_ “I see.”

“Think on it,” Gabe said gruffly. “You don’t have to choose right now, but you have to choose soon." He was just about to leave when the door slammed open. Standing in the entrance was the person he did not want to see sticking his little fingers into this mess: Jesse, panting and wild-eyed, his hair in disarray. “McCree,” Gabe began, stepping closer to try to block him. “Now is not the time-“

He’d trained Jesse too well. The little punk slipped under his arm, faster than a drop of water, and shot over to the bedside, a plastic bag swinging in his hand. 

Hanzo stiffened, his face freezing in a carefully-schooled mask even as his fingers crushed at the sheets. “McCree,” he said coldly, his voice barely quavering.

Jesse wiped a stray wave of hair out of his face, still panting from his run. “Sorry. I freaked out," he blurted. "I'm sorry. But listen-"

"Hardly unimaginable, you losing your mind, isn't that your special talent-" Hanzo began, his voice rising.

“Look. Just let me talk first!” Jesse snapped. Gabe came up behind him, folding his thick arms across his chest and glaring.

Hanzo glared back at him, but gave a controlled nod.

Ignoring his commanding officer, Jesse slumped down in the visitor’s chair, his hat in his hands.

“So, stop me if I’m wrong,” the cowboy began. “You weren’t born yesterday. The baby- You could just- snap your fuckin’ fingers or something, call up whatever doctor you want and just- I mean, you could just make it all go back to normal. You could stop this shit, no problem to you. The fact that you’re here, months later, means you chose not to.”

Hanzo continued staring at him, not denying the statement.

“And you coulda gone anywhere, but you came here.” Jesse shook his head, trying to keep himself together. “To find me,” he clarified.

Slowly, Hanzo nodded.

Jesse grabbed a book out of the plastic bag and threw it at Hanzo. “Look, I’m shit at a lot of things, but here. …I was thinking we could look through it sometime. Like, together.”

Hanzo looked down, startled, at the title in his hands: _100,000+ Baby Names and Meanings_.

“Unless you already have a name in mind. I’m cool with that too-”

He didn't finish the sentence as the Shimada boy lunged upwards, hugging himself into Jesse's side. The cowboy startled, but slowly lowered himself onto the bedside, pulling Hanzo up into a proper embrace.

“Hey. It’s our next adventure. The two of us. Just like I promised,” Jesse said softly, sitting down on the blanket next to Hanzo, who continued staring at the gift. “Look, you caught me by surprise, is all. Just needed some time to.... Get my head around this whole thing. But what I told you back on Seidou Hill, none of that’s changed. None, Hanzo. I still mean every single word- I- I want t'be with you. Stay with me, Hanzo, you can get a new name, new place here, no one’ll be none the wiser if we bring in a Mrs. McCree on base-"

"You don't have that authority, McCree," Gabe began, but stopped and shook his head when he realized neither of the boys was even hearing him. He stood back, shaking his head. The corners of his mustache fought between a smile and a scowl. Even factoring in Jesse McCree’s horrible taste, Gabe couldn’t imagine why anyone would court the prickly, cruel yakuza heir. But watching the boys together, he could imagine how Jesse fell for the brat in the first place- the kid looked like magic when he smiled.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Gabe stood at the landing strip as the Wasp came to a stop on the ground. A familiar figure with a familiar duffel climbed out the side. “Captain Amari,” he hollered as she ran over, her strong, lean arms crushing him in a hug. Ana always gave the best hugs.

“Commander Reyes,” she joked, leaning back to take a good look at him. “Gabriel! Are you getting old?”

“Are you?” he teased, his eyes searching over her face. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed his old friend- their months apart were filled up with work, work, and work, but now that she was here, he couldn’t stop smiling.

“I age like fine wine. You…” She poked him in the side. “-Go flat like bad soda.”

“Nasty woman.” He gave Ana another hug. “You will not believe what happened… The PARK corps... Did you hear that they came on base without permission? Just walked in, wanted to see-" 

Ana hesitated. “Actually, Jack mentioned that-“

Gabe grit his teeth, a familiar heavy anger dropping into his gut again. “What about Jack? What’s he want?”

“Ask him yourself,” Ana said tiredly. “Gabriel, I’m not going to be a go-between for you two-“

“If he wants something, he has my direct phone. He can use it,” he replied.

“He would if you picked up,” Ana replied tartly.

Gabe bristled. “I always pick up. I didn’t pick up that _one_ time,” he said, his words coming faster. “And you guys keep bringing it up over and over again?”

“It was more than one time!

“A few times. But _you_ don’t always pick up either,” he accused back.

Ana frowned. “Gabriel, you are missing the point! It’s not about-“

“You just said I wasn’t picking up.” Gabe crossed his arms.

Ana was silent for a good long minute. “Fine, Gabriel…” she sighed.

Gabe sighed as well. If he had won this round, it didn’t feel like it.

 

* * *

 

In the emerging morning light, he could see the two figures winding their way around the dirt track. It was the quiet before the day started- at least for the rest of the base. For Gabe, it never ended in the first place. He stood at the 10 meter mark, wrapped up in a hoodie against the cold, and waited for the boys to approach.

Finally, they came into view, foreheads shiny with sweat despite the chill- and to his surprise, Jesse McCree didn’t look like he was dying on the inside. “Hell froze over or something? You’re up early,” Gabe observed dryly. Not that it was a bad thing, but he couldn’t help a twinge of annoyance. Jesse never woke up this early without the threat of being court martialed- and for a _run_ of all things! 

Well, they’d have to see if the motivation lasted. It wouldn’t, he thought snidely. Jesse was a good kid but a little shit when it came to pushing on.

“I’m keeping up with Hanzo now,” Jesse bragged, poking a finger at his chest.

“Yeah, but he’s five months pregnant and you’re not,” Gabe replied.

Hanzo made a face, but didn’t laugh. He had borrowed Jesse’s clothes, and they fit him like a sock on a stop sign. The boys were built very differently from each other. Where Jesse was long and leggy, Hanzo was stockier- all broad chest and shoulders bursting through the seams of his shirt, while the loose folds hanging around his waist barely brushed the curve of his abdomen. Well, it wasn’t Gabe’s problem if Shimada’s armpits chafed right off. But he could see a problem brewing for everyone else using the facilities…

“Shimada,” Gabe grunted, trying to make it as professional as he could. “You need to start wearing a bra.”

Hanzo’s jaw dropped a millimeter. “What.”

“What,” Jesse echoed.

He looked away, waving a hand in the general direction of Hanzo’s swelling chest and the two sharp bumps pointing against the fabric like an extra pair of eyes. _God, this is not how I wanted to start my day.._ “Your… Everything’s showing. It’s not professional,” he said, carefully staring at the timer board on the opposite side of the field.

“What is showing?” Hanzo demanded.

Every one of Jack’s stupid euphemisms flew through his mind: _hooters, melons, jugs, the twins, knockers, fun bags, Big Betties, honkers, Ben and Jerry_. He scowled, turning over to glare at Jesse. “McCree.”

“What?” Jesse asked innocently.

Gabe scowled even harder. Jesse McCree was _always_ a little shit, that was a given, but right now, with Hanzo involved, the disobedience rankled him even more than it usually did. “Never mind. Jesse, get to the range, report to Ana. Shimada, come with me. We need to talk.”

Hanzo stiffened. “If this is about _your_ bra, I am telling you now that I will not wear women’s clothing-“

“No! Forget about the goddamn bra,” Gabe snapped. “We got business to take care of.”

* * *

 

The grit of the ground below him dug into his thin athletic pants. Jesse closed one eye and leaned forward, looking through the eyepiece of the rifle. Behind him, Ana crouched too, pushing and prodding him to correct his form. “Steady!” she warned. “Jesse- steady, you’re off-balance.”

To his credit, Jesse managed to right himself for a few seconds before the weight of the rifle pushed him forward and onto the cement barrier. “Oof!"

“Don’t overreach.” Ana pulled him back up. “You’d have fallen if this was the real thing.”

“Right.” Jesse hummed to himself. He’d be frustrated, usually- Ana was such a stickler for things like form and checklists, and really, he didn’t see the point of it all. If he could hit a target, why did it matter which way his feet were pointing? But today it slid off him like water on a duck’s back. Morning runs weren’t so bad with Hanzo. Sure, it had been unexpected, for Hanzo to come knocking on his door at four in the morning and frog-marching him out to the field- but there they were, running together like it was the most normal thing in the world! With a surge of giddiness, he thought about the black-haired man, how serious he looked even when just jogging, how cute he was even dragging Jesse out of bed like a madman hellbent on exercise- and how _good_ he looked in that tight shirt, made Jesse want to do things to him. God, that man… Hanzo was here with him. The thought sent another warm flutter of happiness through Jesse. He looked over at Ana, smiling like an idiot.

Ana smiled back, her eyes crinkling at the edges. “You’re in a good mood, Jesse.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you’re back,” he said cheekily, winking.

She laughed. “So charming,” she teased, pinching his cheek fondly. “Something good must have happened!”

He opened his mouth, already imagining the delight spreading over Ana’s face at the news. She’d be so excited for the news- she could meet Hanzo too, she’d like him, Jesse was sure of it. But Reyes’ warning about keeping it hush-hush for now floated over it, and Jesse just shook his head, still grinning to himself. “Nothing,”

“Oh, Jesse.” Ana ruffled his hair. “Keep up the good work. You will get this,” she promised.

“Right.” Jesse leaned back against the cement block and stretched his legs, cramped from holding up for so long. “Phew. …Hey, Ana.”

“Yes, Jesse?”

Jesse hesitated- it was a weird question, but it wasn’t going to get any less weird the longer he waited. “What was Fareeha like when she was little?”

Ana looked at him in surprise, but laughed gently. “She is still little,” she replied fondly.

“No. I mean like. Really little. Like a baby.” Jesse sat back and helped himself to a water bottle. Now that the sun was in the sky, the air was turning warmer and warmer.

Surprised at the question, Ana hesitated for a second. “She was like most babies! What do you mean?”

Jesse shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. “Like… What’s a baby like? Like, day to day stuff. Eating. Sleeping. You know…”

If he wasn’t mistaken, Ana’s face sank for a moment. “Ah.. I went back on the field after she was born,” she said slowly. “We were in a war. My squad needed me. Her father was the one home with her for the first months.”

“Oh.” Jesse quickly looked back out to the distant targets, a pang in his heart as he thought about being sent away from a mission, away from Hanzo and their baby. Reyes wouldn’t send him away, would he? How would he even leave them? “So…”

“I came back as soon as I could, but I still missed those months. She was already sitting up by herself by that time.”

“Oh. Then what was she like after?” he pressed.

“The greatest,” Ana laughed. “Oh, Jesse… I don’t know how to explain it! When you’re a parent, it’s… We didn’t know it was possible to love someone so much. It changes you. You’ll understand one day. But why the sudden question?”

“No, I get the…” Jesse tried to stop smiling, but his face didn’t obey. His hands itched for Hanzo’s. Maybe tonight he’d take Hanzo out on the range to watch the satellites. They probably didn’t match up to the stars in Hanamura, but it’d be a nice way to end the day, just the two of them. And he could talk to Reyes, find a good time to introduce Ana, and…

Absorbed in his daydream, Jesse didn’t notice Ana watching him suspiciously. “Jesse. Jesse?” she repeated.

“Oh- yeah?” Jesse asked, fumbling for his rifle again. “Time to get back to-“

“I asked you, why the sudden question?”

Jesse’s heart beat in his throat as Ana Amari turned her all-seeing Eye of Horus onto him. “Er- just curious,” he quailed.

Ana poked him square in the chest, not breaking eye contact. “Jesse McCree, do you have something to tell me?”


End file.
